One Person Burned, Two Displaced in Peninsula Fire; Cause Found: Fire Department

MENLO PARK, CA — A one-alarm kitchen fire Wednesday afternoon displaced two Menlo Park residents and caused $80,000 of damage to their apartment, fire officials said.

Firefighters arrived at the two-story, 16-unit apartment building on Oak Grove Avenue at about 3:05 p.m. and brought the blaze under control within seven minutes, Menlo Park Fire Protection District Chief Harold
Schapelhouman said.

One of the residents said that she had been cooking bacon on the kitchen stovetop when a phone call distracted her. Fire Marshal Jon Johnston validated the cause and origin as "accidental, human error."

"Unattended cooking fires are the most common type of fire we see. It's easy to get distracted by a phone call, ball game, someone at the door, bathroom break or some other event," Schapelhouman said in a statement.
"We recommend you turn off the burner and move the pan or dish to another location while you are out of the kitchen," he said.

A resident was examined for smoke inhalation and possible burns but was not taken to a hospital, Schapelhouman said.

Fire officials estimated the structural damage at $50,000 and loss and damage to contents within the apartment at $30,000.

— By Bay City News Service / Image via Shutterstock